Asa Ellerup: Doubts cast on alibi of accused Gilgo Beach killer’s wife, may have been in town during murder

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NEW YORK: In the ongoing investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders, the attorney representing the families of two victims has raised questions about the alibi of accused serial killer Rex Heuermann's estranged wife, Asa Ellerup.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has maintained that Ellerup was out of town during each of the murders, but attorney John Ray challenged this assertion.

Heuermann, a 60-year-old New York City architect and married father of two, has been charged in connection with the 'Gilgo Four' killings of sex workers whose remains were discovered on Gilgo Beach in 2010.

The victims, Amber Lynn Costello, 27, Melissa Barthelemy, 24, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, and Megan Waterman, 22, were found wrapped in burlap on the beach within days of each other between December 2010 and April 2011.

Doubts surround accused serial killer's wife's alibi

Ray, who represents the families of Shannan Gilbert and Jessica Taylor, claims to have spoken with a manager from an Atlantic City hotel who allegedly stated that Ellerup and her children arrived later than investigators believe.

If his information is correct, it suggests that Ellerup could have been in town during at least one of the gruesome killings. Ellerup's attorney, Bob Macedonio, vehemently denied these claims, emphasizing that if Tierney's information about Ellerup was incorrect, it could jeopardize the entire case against Heuermann.

"When, in the course of any investigations on any criminal matters, do they do that up front in a bail application?" Macedonio questioned. "If he's wrong, it creates reasonable doubt in his whole case," Fox reported.

Experts question DA's decision to push uncertain claims

A former federal prosecutor not affiliated with the case, Neama Rahmani, expressed skepticism about the district attorney's position. Rahmani questioned the logic of Tierney making an argument he wasn't certain about, stating, "The DA's statement would be a potential problem if it were wrong. But why would the DA argue something they were unsure of?"

Heuermann's arrest in July stemmed from DNA evidence linking him to three of the victims found on a discarded pizza. The case gained renewed attention in January 2022 when former NYPD chief Rodney Harrison, then Suffolk County police commissioner, reopened the investigation.

Harrison initiated the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force in February 2022, which quickly identified Heuermann as a suspect. Since his arrest, Heuermann has been held without bail, facing charges related to the notorious Gilgo Beach murders that have haunted Long Island for over a decade.